More than a year ago, I became a mentor to a former employee of mine who had started moving up in the company.
Our company doesn't promote mentoring, it was feebly tried a few years ago. HUGE crash-n-burn! Then again, the mentors and mentees were assigned. There was NO guidance. It failed miserably, with the exception of 1 pair: me and my mentee. Our big struggle was her direct supervisor has severe paranoia issues and forbid her to speak to anyone outside that office. That nearly killed our partnership, til I very discreetly assisted in getting her transferred to another office. About once a month, we still have a mentoring session on the downlow, but she knows she can always call me with ANY question or situation at any time.
The PTB preach in "teamwork." Unfortunately, each dept is a team and it seems like were always playing against each other. The atmosphere can be best described as the Michigan vs. Ohio college football game.
My current mentee is a smart man-boy. He's Gen Y, very conservative and really believed he learned to be a manager by earning his Bachelors in Biz Management. He was kind of cocky as my employee, often questioning me like *I* was an idiot. I liked his thought process, but he definitely needed guidance and polishing.
When he left my dept (which he now admits was much too early!), his new boss was too busy to answer his many questions. And she doesn't really like to be questioned because she tends to not have the right answer. She can forgo the rules because she is higher up the ladder, but she still needs to know her employees' parameters.
Needless to say, we began a very informal mentoring relationship. His boss often referred him to me, since she trusts me AND I'm just down the hall, so it made it much easier. I've been his sounding board for frustrated days, answered many questions and challenged him. I keep him the loop and email tips and tricks I learn that he may find useful. I've praised him for his character, thought processes and the decisions he's made, even when I haven't necessarily agreed with them. He makes me think and has taught me a lot, not just about my job and mentoring, but about myself.
We've had a good thing going now almost daily for more than a year. My phone and email are always open. Rarely can I walk past his office without him asking me for a few minutes of time. Most days, we catch up during our goodbyes. And we know each others' schedules (days off, vaca, working other offices, etc.)
We've had to work together closely on a few projects; without me there, it may have been disastrous for him. I helped other employees understand his shyness was not aloofness or arrogance. Around me, he is different, and it is noticed. (I tend to forget shyness because it rarely lasts around me.)
And he has moved up again, so technically, he's on the same rung of the ladder as me, but in an entirely different dept. Now, I'm trying to push him toward being my equal, but it's a concept he denies. He always defers to me when I assist his dept. I have to push him to take control, even when it means directing me.
I don't know if he's afraid that as my equal, we'll lose our mutual trust and become rivals, like other supervisors. Like mutual antagonism of UofM and MSU?